1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to plant molecular biology and genetic engineering and more specifically to the production of genetically modified seed plants from which enlarged or diminished seeds or fruits can be obtained.
2. Background Information
Seed and fruit production are multi-billion dollar commercial industries and primary sources of income for numerous states in the United States and for many countries around the world. Commercially valuable seeds include, for example, rapeseeds, cottonseeds and sunflower seeds, which are prized for the vegetable oil that can be pressed from the seed. The seeds of leguminous plants such as peas, beans and lentils also are commercially valuable as they are rich in proteins, with soybeans, for example, consisting of 40-45% protein and 18% fats and oils. In addition, coffee is a valuable crop made from the dried and roasted seeds of Coffea arabica plants, while chocolate is made from the cacao seed or "bean." Similarly, many fruits are commercially valuable, including, for example, corn, rice, wheat, barley and other cereals, nuts, legumes, tomatoes, and citrus fruits.
Unfortunately, seed and fruit production are both limited inherently, for example, due to the availability of suitable growing seasons and growing conditions, including the finite resource of arable land. In addition, seed and fruit production are limited by the yield obtained from a plant, which is a function, in part, of the average size of the seeds and fruits produced. As a consequence, methods for increasing seed or fruit production from a seed plant would help in combating the increased need for food, particularly as the world population continues to expand. Thus, a need exists for developing methods to increase the yield of seeds and fruits from cultivated plants. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages as well.